We find Cham Syndulla (Robin Atkin Downes) and Numa (Catherine Taber) racing across the plains of Ryloth on their Blurrgs, with three Imperial speeder bikes and an armored troop transport in hot pursuit. They manage to take out two, but Cham frantically calls for a pickup.

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Things are looking bleak when his daughter, Captain Hera Syndulla (Vanessa Marshall) responds to his call and the Ghost appears in the sky. Padawan Ezra Bridger (Taylor Gray) uses the ship's guns to blast the troop transport and Hera flies in low for a pickup.

The Twi'lek riders are scooped onto the landing ramp, but the surviving Scout Trooper manages to maneuver his bike on board too. He is met by Zeb (Steve Blum), who knocks him out with a single blow.

We learn that the Ghost crew came to Ryloth on a supply run and Cham reveals that Empire has occupied Hera's homeplace, the Tan province, since their last visit. It would appear that the planet's top Imperial, Captain Slavin (Andre Sogliuzzo), has suddenly improved his strategies and made the Syndulla home his base of operations.

Grand Admiral Thrawn taunts a captive Hera Syndulla. (Disney)

Hera is disappointed to learn that the family's Kalikori, an inherited heirloom kept by Twi'lek families, remains in the family home. She decides to recover it and her Ghost crew promises to join her on the mission, despite her protests.

Hera decides that she and astromech droid Chopper will sneak into the complex, while the others create a diversion to draw the Empire's forces elsewhere. Ezra adds his own twist to the plan when he arrives wearing the stolen Scout Trooper armor and announces that he'll be taking part in Hera's infiltration.

The Ghost crew and Cham's forces ambush an Imperial patrol in a canyon and draw them further in, while Hera and a disguised Ezra shoot towards the complex on a speeder biker.

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As they approach, Ezra is taken aback by the impressive Syndulla family home, which appears to be built within a mountain. The teen pretends to have taken Hera, who adopts her French-style Ryloth accent to sell the lie, prisoner and they are permitted to enter.

They see that Chopper is already in place, but the droid appears to be distracted by a crashed Y-Wing outside the main facility. Hera informs Ezra that the ship crashed during the Clone Wars and she pulled Chopper from it. No doubt we'll find out who the droid's original owner was someday, but it's a fun mystery for the moment.

The pair move easily through the base until they reach Cham's former office (which Slavin has commandeered) and the Kalikori, along with a beautiful stained glass image of the Syndulla patriarch, Hera's previously unseen mother and a young Hera.

Things take a stressful turn during their escape, when Captain Slavin and Grand Admiral Thrawn (Lars Mikkelsen) make an appearance. Though the rebels appear to have gone unnoticed as they make their way to secret tunnel on a lower level, the perceptive Thrawn is on to them. They are forced to turn back when they find that the tunnel has been converted into an Imperial security center.

Cham Syndulla prepares to take down an Imperial Scout Trooper on Ryloth's wide-open plains. (Disney)

Back in the canyon, the Imperial patrol unit has the rebels on the run. Clearly, Thrawn has ensured that the forces on Ryloth up their game to match their enemies.

Chopper distracts some Stormtroopers to allow Hera to escape, but she runs right into Thrawn and Slavin. Ezra, still disguised, pretends to seize Hera as the grand admiral examines the Kalikori and brings her to Slavin's office for questioning.

Hera pretends that she stole the Kalikori with the intention of selling it for food. When Slavin threatens to make an example of the Twi'lek, Thrawn interjects.

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"To defeat an enemy, you must know them," says the Chiss. "Not simply their battle tactics, but their history, philosophy … art."

Fans will recall that Thrawn used his analysis of his enemies' art to formulate ingenious battle strategies in the Legends continuity, so it's great to see the "Rebels" team staying true to this beloved aspect of his character.

He slowly and calmly reveals that knows exactly what the Kalikori is and who Hera is, then hits Ezra with a stun blast. Checkmate guys!

The organ music in this scene heightens the sense of Thrawn's menace as the extent of his strategic abilities becomes clear. We are truly spoiled for villains this season, between Thrawn, Gov. Pryce and Maul. Each of these represents a distinctive threat to the Ghost crew and stand in contrast with the many bumbling Imperial and criminal bad guys we've seen before.

The pair are thrown in a cell and Thrawn politely promises to keep the Kalikori safe. It would appear that he values art more than life, a point underlined when Slavin suggests they destroy the heirloom. He grabs the captain and snarls briefly, before recovering his calm demeanor and leaving to watch over an "experiment" he is conducting.

Father and daughter share a moment before plunging into danger. (Disney)

In the canyon, the Imperial forces stop firing on the rebels and Slavin appears via hologram to propose that Cham be traded for Hera and Erza.

"Could the trap be more obvious?" asks Sabine Wren (Tiya Sircar), though Cham is determined to go through with it to ensure Hera and Ezra's safety.

Back at the Imperial base, Chopper breaks into the captive pair's cell to announce Cham's plan. Hera decides to capitalize on the situation, ordering the droid to break into the armory and set the supply of explosives to blow around the facility.

The Ghost arrives at the base and Cham steps forward to be taken into custody as Hera and Ezra walk towards the ship. When Chopper speeds onto the landing platform, Hera apologizes to Cham, who reassures her that he's been captured before.

Hera and a disguised Ezra Bridger don't know it yet, but they're catching their first glimpse of a deadly new adversary. (Disney)

"No, I'm sorry about the house," she replies. "Chopper!"

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Explosions rip through the complex, killing or stunning most of the Imperials as the rebels flee onto the Ghost. Kanan deflects blaster bolts from the landing ramp, then Force Pushes a rocket into an AT-DP as they take off.

It'd be cool to know exactly what the blind Jedi is able to "see" through the Force and the extent to which his other senses have been heightened, since he still seems very capable and alert despite his disability.

The Ghost flies within range of Thrawn's ship, but he orders his pilot to hold fire, much to a wounded Slavin's chagrin. Clearly, wiping out our heroes wasn't part of the "experiment."

Thrawn might be a villain, but at least he appreciates art. (Disney)

"Oh, not to worry captain," says the blue-skinned villain, Kalikori in hand. "I've found this whole experience to be very enlightening."